kill -- terminate or signal a process
kill [-s signal_name] pid ...
kill -l [exit_status]
kill -signal_name pid ...
kill -signal_number pid ...
The kill utility sends a signal to the processes specified by the pid operand(s).
Only the super-user may send signals to other users' processes.
The options are as follows:
-s signal_name
A symbolic signal name specifying the signal to be sent instead
of the default TERM.
-l [exit_status]
If no operand is given, list the signal names; otherwise, write
the signal name corresponding to exit_status.
-signal_name
A symbolic signal name specifying the signal to be sent instead
of the default TERM.
-signal_number
A non-negative decimal integer, specifying the signal to be sent
instead of the default TERM.
The following pids have special meanings:
-1 If superuser, broadcast the signal to all processes; otherwise
broadcast to all processes belonging to the user.
Some of the more commonly used signals:
1 HUP (hang up)
2 INT (interrupt)
3 QUIT (quit)
6 ABRT (abort)
9 KILL (non-catchable, non-ignorable kill)
14 ALRM (alarm clock)
15 TERM (software termination signal)
Some shells may provide a builtin kill command which is similar or identical
to this utility. Consult the builtin(1) manual page.
Terminate the processes with pids 142 and 157:
kill 142 157
Send the hangup signal (SIGHUP) to the process with pid 507:
kill -s HUP 507
Terminate the process group with pgid 117:
kill -- -117
The kill utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.
builtin(1), csh(1), killall(1), ps(1), kill(2), sigaction(2)
The kill function is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (``POSIX.2'') compatible.
A kill command appeared in Version 3 AT&T UNIX.
A replacement for the command ``kill 0'' for csh(1) users should be provided.
FreeBSD 5.2.1 April 28, 1995 FreeBSD 5.2.1 [ Back ] | 